News

(PHILADELPHIA) My Million Dollar Mom, a film shot in the Philadelphia area and based on Ross Schriftman's book by the same name, has won the Best Drama Award at the Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival (TBUFF). The film also received nominations for:

Best Leading Actor (Pete Postiglione)

Best Supporting Actress (Susan Moses)

Best Musical Score/Supervision (Chelsea Komschlies)

Best Short Film
Best Short Screenplay (Ross Schriftman)

Best Short Film Director (Kevin Hackenberg)

"I am so grateful to our wonderful cast, crew, production and marketing teams and supporters for making this possible," said Schriftman. "This film has been a labor of love and it honors the memory of my mom, Shirley, who died from Alzheimer's. I know she would be proud of how this film project has turned out."

Director Kevin Hackenberg remarked, "It was an honor to attend the Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival and screen the film for a new audience. Of course, it was a great honor to receive the award for Best Drama and it's a tribute to our talented cast and crew and Ross's diligence and patience in a film that honors his mom, other caregivers, and those affected by Alzheimer's, one of the
forms of dementia." He continued, "We are looking forward to collaborating on the feature film!"

The film stars veteran film and television actors Pete Postiglione and Susan Moses and was inspired by real events in Schriftman's life. Moses portrays an aging mom diagnosed with Alzheimer's and Postiglione portrays her son Ross, who steps forward to care for her. At the same time, he is offered a last-chance opportunity to run for Congress. He must decide between his life-long dream and his mom's wishes to remain in her home under his care. The life lesson of caring for one another through Tikkun Olam (the Hebrew expression for repairing the world) is the theme of the film.

About My Million Dollar Mom
Based on the book of the same name by Ross Schriftman, My Million Dollar Mom is a film about a loving mother who is diagnosed with Alzheimer's and the devoted son who steps forward to care for her.
Schriftman's production company is partnering with the Dementia Society of America in an effort to promote awareness and raise funds for research and family support services. Schriftman screens the film around the country and holds discussions with audiences about the issues surrounding Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia. Schriftman's ultimate goal is to release the film to a worldwide audience.
This film is directed by Kevin Hackenberg, who began his career working on the M. Night Shyamalan films The Sixth Sense and Unbreakable. He went on to establish the production company Get-Kinetic in 2003 in Philadelphia, where he and his staff create visual content for clients as varied as Temple University and NBC10 in Philadelphia.
For information about the film visit www.mymilliondollarmom.com, www.facebook.com/mymilliondollarmom or contact Ross Schriftman at mymilliondollarmom@gmail.com.

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About Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival (TBUFF)
The Tampa Bay Underground Film Festival (TBUFF) was founded by Tampa Bay Area filmmakers, actors, critics, artists and cinephiles to catch the independent films that fall through the cracks. With most independent films going straight to home video, TBUFF provides the opportunity for filmmakers to see their movie on the big screen in digital sound at a real theater, as well as the marketing, promotion and accolades that help to shore up distribution prospects. The film festival showcases dramas, comedies, action, adventure, crime, musicals, horror, sci-fi, thrillers, fantasies, mysteries, romances, animation, children's, religious, LGBT, foreign, documentaries, experimental - basically anything. To learn more, visit http://tbuff.org.